Fallen Star
by Gemini14
Summary: (AU) When Legato is betrayed and left to die, how far will he go to get revenge? What will Vash and Wolfwood think of the change? R/R Please!
1. Chapter One

Fallen Star

Chapter One: Turnabout

Legato watched as a massive amount of energy billowed up from the city of Augusta, a smirk of satisfaction on his handsome face. He was pleased with his handiwork, and pleased that things had gone according to plan. Yet something seemed amiss; something he couldn't place. With a shrug, he turned to leave. Midvalley had already returned to the headquarters, for some reason not waiting for him. Not that this bothered Legato, but still………it was odd. 

"You tried to kill him." A voice growled, accusingly. Legato looked up in time to see Knives standing there, then let out a yell of pain as his left arm was torn from his body.

"You do not deserve the gift I gave you. Now die out here, like the pathetic animal you are." Knives snarled, before disappearing into the night as quickly as he'd appeared, leaving Legato lying there. Legato lay where he was, in too much pain to move, as his life's blood flowed freely from the shredded stump of his left arm. 

"_What's the use? I am going to die eventually, anyway._" Legato thought, as weariness settled on him, signaling how much blood he had already lost. But something in him wanted to live, and, without his fully realizing it, he forced himself to his feet. For a moment he stood there, uncertain about what to do next; then a voice inside his skull jolted him into action.

"_Don't just stand there! Go find help!_" the voice shouted, impatiently. Legato nodded, and started walking in the direction of the nearest town, hoping that he could get there before he bled to death.

Meryl sat and stared out the window of the hotel room. Augusta had been destroyed, Vash was missing, and she and Milly had been ordered to return to the insurance agency.

"_Can things get any worse?_" Meryl wondered, as she stared out the window.

"Meryl, it's time to leave." Milly said, quietly. Meryl turned and nodded, sadly. 

"I know. We can't disobey orders." Meryl murmured, lifelessly, as she stepped away from the window and followed her partner out of the hotel room. Many of the hotel's lodgers were still in bed asleep, as the two women moved silently through the halls. The suns were just beginning to peek over the horizon as they exited the hotel, loading the car as quietly as they could so they wouldn't disturb any of the town's residents. 

"Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning." Milly said, reciting an old earth saying as they both looked at the fiery sunrise.

"I wonder if the sunrise yesterday was red? That could have given us plenty of warning to be prepared for what happened last night." Meryl said, as she turned her gaze away from the sight. Yet, when she did, she was greeted by another, more gruesome, sight. 

"Milly……….." Meryl muttered, as she tugged on her partner's sleeve to get her attention.

"What……………..? Oh my…………….!" Milly gasped, as horror took over her features. They watched as a bedraggled, and very bloodied up, man approached, weaving almost drunkenly as he walked. Milly was the first to act; she rushed forward and caught the man before he could fall. Meryl stared in horror as the man leaned heavily on Milly, blood smearing onto her brown duster as he got his legs beneath him again.

"Sir, can you hear me? Hang on, we'll get you to a doctor." Milly said, hoping that the man could hear her. Weakly he raised his head and looked at her, his strange, golden-hued eyes glazed with pain. 

"Help me……………..please………………" the man whispered, before passing out from the pain.

"Sir!" Milly yelped, as the man went limp in her arms. Before Meryl could even blink, she found herself in the waiting room of the town clinic beside Milly. She knew that they were going to be delayed by this, but they had no choice. The man they had found was going to need someone to help him while he adjusted to only having one arm.

"He must have been caught in the explosion that destroyed Augusta. If we had had some of that lost technology, we could have given him a prosthetic arm. But we don't, so there is no point in wishing for it." One doctor said, when he had emerged from the operating room.

"How is he, otherwise? Will he be all right?" Milly asked, as always concerned about others before herself. 

"He's lost a lot of blood, and if what's left of the arm doesn't get infected, then he would be extremely lucky." The doctor said, grimly. Both women nodded silently in agreement; they knew how things worked on Gunsmoke, and how the chances of a man surviving such a wound were extremely slim.

"Can we see him?" Meryl asked, speaking up for the first time since she had laid eyes on the man. The doctor nodded.

"But only for a few minutes. He'll be out for a while because of the anesthetic." The doctor warned, as he opened the door and allowed them to enter. The man on the bed looked nothing like the one the two insurance girls had dragged into the clinic; his shredded, bloodstained coat was gone, and in its place were thick white bandages. His normally tan-colored skin was bleached white by the harsh lights and white walls of the clinic's operating room, making him appear almost corpse-like. Dark, blue-black hair, still damp from the washing a kind soul had given it, stuck to his face and neck, standing out in stark contrast to his pale skin and the bed sheets under him. Meryl watched as Milly's expression softened; as always, her partner pitied even the stranger that lay before them.

"What should we do, Meryl? We can't leave him here." Milly said, as she absently brushed the man's damp hair off of his face.

"I don't know. Bernadelli shouldn't object to us returning with him. What they might question us about is if we use some of our health insurance to pay for his surgery and the medication he's going to need for the pain and what have you." Meryl said, as a look of relief appeared on Milly's face. Meryl smiled slightly; pleased that at least Milly was happy again. But then a thought struck her; hadn't they seen this man before? She shook her head, clearing her head of that thought. 

"_My head is playing tricks on me again. I could almost swear that we've seen this man before somewhere_………………._but where?_" Meryl wondered, as she looked down onto the man's now peaceful face, her question still unanswered.

Legato floated in darkness for what seemed like an eternity before the light of consciousness returned to claim him. With the light, came the pain from his injury. He stiffened and stifled a gasp, inwardly cursing even the very existence of the man known as Knives. Then he heard a gentle, feminine voice, soothing his inner turmoil for the moment, and leaving him curious as to who the woman could be. With great effort, he opened his eyes, and looked up at the woman who spoken. She was tall, with long, dark blond hair and gentle sky blue eyes.

"You're awake! I was beginning you wouldn't wake up! Hey, Meryl! He's awake!" the woman said, calling for someone who was in the next room.

"That's a relief! You gave us quite a scare two weeks ago. How do you feel?" the woman named Meryl asked, as she came into Legato's line of sight.

"I've felt better………." Legato said, wincing when his throat protested against being used for the first time in two weeks. Meryl nodded in understanding.

"That's understandable. Did you not get out of Augusta in time?" the tall woman asked, innocently. Legato glanced at the stump of his left arm and winced; he was better off not telling them about Knives, for the moment, anyway.

"No, I didn't get out in time. I guess you could say I was too stubborn for my own good." Legato said, with some wry humor in his eyes.

"Meryl is the same way sometimes. So, what's your name?" the tall woman asked, ignoring Meryl's offended look and concentrating on their bedridden guest.

"Legato. Legato Bluesummers. What might your names be?" Legato asked, somehow feeling completely at ease with these two.

"I'm Meryl Stryfe and this is Milly Thompson, my partner. We work for the Bernadelli Insurance Agency." Meryl said, competently. Legato nodded; he remembered that there were two insurance girls following Vash around. He especially remembered the fire in Wolfwood's eyes when he'd mentioned Milly. At that time, it had almost been a challenge; he was willing to die protecting Milly.

"_Well, Wolfwood, it looks like you won't have to worry about my hurting these girls. It's the rest of the Gung-Ho Guns and Knives that I am worried about._" Legato thought, as he was helped to sit up by Milly, managing to look surprised when he found how strong Milly really was.

"So, Mr. Legato, do you feel up to eating anything?" Milly asked, her personality reminding Legato of cloudless skies. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud growl from his stomach. He blushed, the glared at it. Milly only smiled.

"I'll be right back. Soup will have to do you for a while, since your stomach hasn't had anything solid in two weeks." Milly said, wisely.

"At this point, I am grateful to be eating anything." Legato stated, only hinting at the ordeal that had taken his arm. Well, it hadn't really been his arm to begin with, but it had still hurt when it had been ripped from his body.

"_Damn you, Knives. If Vash doesn't kill you first, then I will!_" Legato thought, not caring that the Plant-walker was stronger than him, and had him outgunned. He was snapped out of those thoughts when Milly returned with the bowl of soup, to which he gave her a slight smile before digging in.

Meryl watched in silence as the man known as Legato ate. Now that he was awake, he seemed even more familiar to her. Especially his eyes. Where had she seen those eyes before? Finally she gave up on trying to remember where she had seen him, deciding that it wasn't important. 

"_I'll figure it out later._" Meryl thought, as she packed her suitcase, again, in preparation for when they would leave the hotel.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two: Assignment

**__**

Two years after the destruction of Augusta…

Legato flinched as a resounding crash sounded through the office. The morning at the Bernadelli main office had started quietly enough, but then there came the usual sound of books cascading from a desk; books he had to try to single-handedly (quite literally) pick up.

"Could you insurance agents be any sloppier than what you already are?" Legato asked, giving his co-workers the critical eye before he went to retrieve the fallen ledger books. Some of the women giggled, getting a rolling of eyes from Legato. They only knocked their books over to get his attention. He'd left being the leader of Gung-Ho Guns for this? Legato refrained from letting out a sigh of exasperation. 

"Bluesummers, may I have a word with you, for a moment?" the Chief asked, as he stuck his head out of his office and looked at him.

"Certainly, sir." Legato said, smirking when he heard disappointed moans from some of the women in the office, as he made his way to the Chief's office. Legato smiled when he saw Meryl and Milly standing there, and chuckled when he saw that Milly was wearing the window-cleaning gear again.

"Were you late again, Miss Thompson?" Legato asked, with a teasing look in his golden eyes. Milly shamefacedly nodded.

"That seems to happen a lot. Is there something you needed, Chief?" Meryl asked, curiosity edging its way into her businesslike tone.

"Yes. I am putting you and Miss Thompson back onto the Humanoid Typhoon case. Bluesummers here will be your bodyguard this time around." The Chief said, his tone not giving them room to argue. Meryl could see Legato's face blanch. 

"Is there something wrong, Legato?" Meryl asked, watching as Legato jumped, then shook his head as though to clear it.

"Nothing is wrong, Miss Stryfe. It's just that that announcement took me by surprise, that's all." Legato said, shakily. Milly could see that Legato wasn't comfortable with the situation, but he wasn't going to say anything otherwise.

"_I wonder why he looked so afraid just now? Has he had a run-in with Mr. Vash?_" Milly wondered, as they left the office. Later that day, they were ready to leave. Legato looked decidedly uncomfortable about going, but he hid his apprehension behind a stony façade.

"Legato, you don't have to go if you don't want to. Just tell the Chief that you are uncomfortable going. I'm sure he'll send someone else along with us." Meryl said, with some concern for the blue-haired man. Legato sighed and shook his head.

"No. I should go. It's time I faced up to what I did to him." Legato murmured, getting confused looks from both insurance girls while he was at it. 

"_What did he mean by that? What could he have done to Vash that is making him dread going out to find him?_" Meryl wondered, as they waited their turn to board the bus. At the same time, Milly was also wondering what Legato had meant. By now, the three of them were wearing their travel clothes; Meryl in her white business outfit, Milly in her tan and aqua duster, and Legato in his new white trench coat (minus the skull and spikes, of course). 

"_In fact,_" Meryl silently observed, as they walked along the aisle to some empty seats, "_Legato's new coat looks more like Vash's coat than his old one did. I just wish he'd let us tie that empty sleeve off. Doesn't he realize how many people stare at him because of that?_" Meryl thought, as she settled into a seat, and Milly sat next to her. Legato sat across from them, looking calm on the outside, but was probably very uneasy on the inside. Both Meryl and Milly had gotten to know the mysterious and quiet Legato Bluesummers during the two years since the destruction of Augusta. He had also gotten to know them, and was very protective of them (hence the reason why the Chief had assigned him as their bodyguard), almost like an elder brother, as Milly had so innocently pointed out one time. Yet, despite all this, they still didn't know what his connection was to Vash the Stampede, even though he would guiltily let a sliver of information slip from time to time.

"_But what has he done to be guilty about? What sins is he trying to atone for?_" Meryl wondered, as she watched him gaze morosely out the window. When they arrived at their destination and disembarked, the three could see that Vash had indeed been there. There were some buildings that had been destroyed, and a few others that had minor structural damage, but managed to somehow remain standing.

"Completely destroyed." Meryl muttered, with an exasperated sigh.

"Gangsters did this. But then another man ran out and tried to stop them. That's how this happened." A local man said, as he joined them at the site. Meryl crossed her arms, looking just a tad upset at the still missing gunman. Legato braced himself; he knew that when he saw this pose, an outburst wasn't too long in following. They were spared from a rampage by Milly's excited shouts and declarations that she knew where Vash had gone.

"Where did the news come from, Milly?" Meryl asked, as her partner jogged back over to them (Legato hadn't even noticed her sneak off, so he was a bit startled by this).

"From the radio! He's heading for New Oregon at a rate of three thousand kilometers an hour!" Milly chirped, as Legato shook his head, wondering at how precise the news was.

"The news is certainly detailed." Legato mused, aloud. Meryl nodded in agreement.

That evening found the trio on board the sand-steamer, on the way to New Oregon. Legato paced back and forth in his room, nervously trying to figure out what he would do when he met Vash again.

"_It is more than likely that Wolfwood is with him, since Wolfwood's last assignment was to relocate Vash and direct him to Knives. Either way, I do believe that those two would shoot first, and ask questions later if they see me. What should I do?_" Legato wondered, as he paused and looked out at the star-studded sky beyond the porthole. Reaching into his coat, Legato removed his pocket watch from its pocket and glanced at it. On the inside of the cover, there was a picture of himself, Meryl, and Milly. It had been shortly after a doctor had declared him healthy, and they had wanted to get him a gift apiece. Milly had made his new coat, and Meryl had gotten the watch.

"_They really do think highly of me. I wonder what would happen if they found out the truth? Would they still care as much as they do now?_" Legato thought, as he gently closed the watch, and put it back into his pocket.

"Legato? Are you all right in there?" Meryl asked, sounding a bit concerned about him.

"I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Are you two all right?" Legato replied, as he let them in.

"We're okay. You seem a bit upset about something. Do you want to talk about it?" Meryl asked, looking as concerned as she sounded.Legato shook his head.

"It's nothing you should be concerned about, Miss Stryfe. I guess I am worried about nothing." Legato said, though he didn't sound at all convinced with himself. Milly, as usual, saw through his attempt to hide his unease.

"Did you do something to Mr. Vash to make him angry with you, Mr. Legato?" Milly asked, innocently. Legato's eyes widened slightly and he stared at her, in shock. Then he shook off his surprise and shook his head.

"I can't say exactly." Legato replied, half-lying to the tall woman. Milly gave him a skeptical look, but dropped the subject anyway. Before anything more could be said, an outlaw burst into the room, his gun trained on the trio.

"No talking! Raise your hands and no funny business! Got that?" the outlaw demanded. Too startled to do anything other than comply, Meryl and Milly raised their hands into the air; Legato, on the other hand, stood where he was, fuming. 

"Don't make me shoot you, freak! Get your hands in the air! Now!" the outlaw snarled, firing a shot into the floor, just barely missing Legato's feet.

"That is kind of hard to do…." Legato said, moving with an abrupt quickness the insurance girls had never seen before, grabbing the outlaw by the collar of his shirt, and pinning him to the wall, his eyes glinting with rage as he did so, "With only one arm." Legato finished. The outlaw stammered a reply, but Legato ignored him and looked at the girls.

"Go and find someplace to hide. This is about to get deadly." Legato said, when the outlaw started screaming for help. 

"But what about you?" Milly asked, worriedly.

"Don't worry about me! Find someplace safe to hide, I will come and retrieve you later!" Legato said, as he knocked the outlaw out and took his gun. With equal reluctance on both their parts, Meryl and Milly did as they were told. As soon as they were gone, Legato stepped out of the room and took stock of what had just occurred.

"_That outlaw had called for backup. There can't be too much time before more outlaws arrive. What should I do?_" Legato thought, as he started running, checking the gun he'd 'borrowed' from the outlaw while he was at it. The gun was fully loaded, a fact Legato was glad about, since loading a pistol that didn't use clips was extremely awkward for a one-armed man. 

"_When I meet Knives again, I'll take both of his arms. One I'll use for myself, and the other will be vulture food._" Legato mused, smirking a little at the thought. First things first; get out of the situation he was already in. Within moments of his leaving the hall where his room was located, outlaws were emerging from all of the rooms. They soon figured out who was raising the ruckus, and were following him closely. In the time after he'd been stripped of Vash's arm, Legato's powers had dwindled to nothing; he couldn't do what he could before, and this frustrated him to no end. He gasped when a stray bullet caught him in the side, throwing him into a wall where he lay stunned for a few moments. 

"Freaky bastard. Let's just finish him off and get going." One outlaw muttered, as he kicked Legato in his wounded side. Bad decision. No sooner had the man's foot jabbed him, Legato grabbed onto the outlaw's leg and toppled him with surprising strength, then raised his gun and shot the other outlaw in the arm. 

"Think twice before messing with a one-armed man." Legato warned, coolly, his amber eyes almost glowing with anger, before he turned and ran down the corridor. A few halls later, Legato stopped to rest beside a bulkhead. He put his hand to his side and winced, scowling when his hand covered in blood.

"Damn." Legato growled, as he sat down and fished out the small first aid kit all Bernadelli employees were made to carry for just such emergencies. He gritted out a few curses when he realized that he couldn't take care of his own wounds because of his handicap. 

"So I will bleed to death after all. What a cruel twist of fate." Legato mumbled, moodily, as he cast the kit aside in disgust.

"If you asked for help, maybe it won't be so bad." A boy's voice said, from somewhere overhead, as the owner emerged from the ventilation shaft in the ceiling.

"And you are an expert on such things?" Legato asked, with something akin to a deadpan expression on his face.

"Well, yeah. You've gotta have some knowledge of first aid in order to work on a sand-steamer." The boy said, carefully winding the bandages around Legato's waist as he spoke. Legato nodded slightly, wincing when the bandages were tightened. 

"Ya know, this is the second time this 'steamer's been attacked and taken over by outlaws. The first time was about two years ago, before the Fifth Moon incident." The boy said, conversationally.

"I had heard something about the sand-steamer being hijacked by the Bad Lads gang, and that Vash the Stampede had helped to save the steamer and everyone on board." Legato mused, as the boy finished tying off the bleeding gunshot wound.

"Yeah. Vash is one crazy guy. He was determined not to kill anyone, even when he got hurt." The boy said, as he looked around for any outlaws, and appeared relieved when he didn't see any.

"You've met Vash the Stampede?" Legato asked, mildly surprised by this bit of news. The boy nodded.

"Yep. My name's Kaite. I used to be in the Bad Lads gang, but then Vash set me straight. Have you ever met Vash?" the boy asked, curiously, as he eyed the empty sleeve of Legato's coat.

"I have, but it wasn't under good circumstances." Legato admitted. Kaite nodded in understanding.

"It seems that everything has quieted down. I wonder………" Kaite muttered, changing the subject, since he could see that Legato wasn't comfortable talking about his past.

"You wonder what?" Legato asked, as he watched Kaite pull out a map of the sand-steamer.

"It's almost like that time two years ago. I wonder if Vash has gotten aboard the sand-steamer, since we did stop a little while ago." Kaite said, thoughtfully. 

"Maybe we should go and find out." Legato said, as he painfully got to his feet and started walking away from the bulkhead.

"You're as crazy as Vash is…………." Kaite muttered, but he followed Legato anyway. They didn't get very far down the passage before someone emerged from one of the rooms and caught Legato in a flying tackle.

"What the………………..?!" Legato managed to yelp, looking up in surprise at the two people who now sat on his chest.

"Mr. Legato!" Milly yelped, as she and Meryl quickly got off of him. 

"Legato! I'm so sorry! We thought you were an outlaw!" Meryl stammered, ashamed that she and Milly had tackled their own bodyguard, then alarmed when she saw the bloodstains on his coat.

"Do tell." Legato muttered, dryly, grimacing as he sat up.

"And where do you intend to go, hurt as you are?" Meryl asked, tersely, as she crossed her arms and gave Legato an unreadable look.

"To the bridge, where else?" Legato replied, as he tentatively checked his side, making a face when he saw that he was bleeding again.

"But you shouldn't even stand, much less walk with that sort of injury!" Milly said, as she got her own first aid kit out and started changing the bandages.

"Vash did." Kaite pointed out, matter-of-factly.

"Yeah………….you're right about that, kid." Meryl murmured, then looked up when something started coming across the speaker system. It sounded like a man singing, and, strangely enough, it sent a chill down Legato's spine. The song itself was about death and destruction, not that that bothered Legato; but it was who was singing it that unnerved him.

"Mr. Vash…….." Milly whispered, her eyes wide with horror.

"Let's go. We've wasted enough time here." Meryl said, as she stood, ready for anything. She got an agreement from Milly and Legato, and Kaite moved to the front, so he could show them the way. Despite his injury, Legato ran alongside the girls, as determined as they were to get to the bridge. Though he couldn't for the life of him figure out why he wanted to get to the bridge so badly. They arrived just as a confrontation was winding down. Meryl and Milly entered the area without hesitation, but Legato lagged behind, remaining in the hallway just out of sight. 

"Why aren't you going in?" Kaite asked. Legato didn't answer, but instead hesitantly moved forward. He could see Milly untying the hostage and Meryl comforting a man as he sobbed about his dead daughter (at least, that's what he could decipher, anyway). Then he turned his eyes to Vash, who sat off to one side, his face bruised and swollen from a fight.

"Got yourself into a fist-fight, I see." Legato said, finding the nerve to speak up after a few more moments of uncertainty. Vash jerked and looked up at him, alarm and anger readily seen in his eyes.

"Legato…………" Vash growled, eyes glinting as he stood and glared at Legato. Meryl and Milly, along with the other two men and Kaite, watched tensely as Vash and Legato faced off for the first time in two years. Then, to the insurance girls' shock and horror, Legato took off his gun belt and holstered gun and threw it to Vash. The belt and gun landed at Vash's feet. Vash gave him a look of distrust and some surprise. Legato answered with a look of guilt.

"If you want to kill me, Vash the Stampede, then I must request that you do it with my gun. I don't want any weapon of his taking my life. I don't want to give him that satisfaction. If I must die, let it be by a manmade gun." Legato said, with pain swirling in his golden eyes, as he looked away from Vash, and at the floor. 

"You shouldn't even be standing." Vash said, his mood indecipherable to Legato by listening to his voice. Legato looked back up at him in mild surprise. His surprise was furthered by the look on Vash's face; it wasn't the look of hatred he was expecting. Instead, it was one of weary concern. Yet, before he could ask why he should care, an infuriated Wolfwood arrived on the scene.

"Legato!" Wolfwood shouted, furiously, as he pointed the Cross Punisher at Legato's chest. Legato's face deadpanned.

"This day just keeps getting better…….." Legato muttered, as he gave Wolfwood a look of exasperation.

"Mr. Priest! Don't shoot!" Milly shouted, as she rushed over to Wolfwood and tried to get him to lower his cross-shaped weapon.

"Milly, don't you realize how dangerous this guy is?!" Wolfwood asked, not taking his eyes off of Legato for a moment.

"Wolfwood, this isn't the same Legato I met two years ago. Take a good look at him." Vash said, surprising them all by standing up for the former leader of the Gung-Ho Guns. Wolfwood arched an eyebrow, then looked closely at the man before him. Aside from the obvious differences (the missing arm and the coat) the subtle changes weren't lost on the priest. 

"_He looks a bit more human than I remember him being. In fact_…………_he seems to have the same look in his eyes that Vash gets sometimes. Does he really regret what he's done?_" Wolfwood wondered, as he reluctantly lowered the Cross Punisher, then looked at Milly.

"How and when did you meet Legato?" Wolfwood asked, calmly.

"We found him about a day after the Fifth Moon incident. He'd lost his arm before we saw him, but somehow managed to walk into town to get help." Meryl said, as she came and stood in between Vash and Legato.

"If it hadn't been for Miss Stryfe and Miss Thompson, I wouldn't even be alive right now. I owe them much for that." Legato murmured. 

"So you say, but what has kept you from killing us? I've just noticed that you haven't tried that stunt with controlling my body with your mind yet." Wolfwood stated, with suspicion in his voice.

"I lost that ability when I lost the arm. I am merely a normal man now….well, maybe with the exception of a missing limb, of course. It gets a little difficult being a one-armed bodyguard." Legato said, smirking a little when Wolfwood and Vash both gave him a confused look.

"Oro?" both gunmen asked, in confusion.

"Kenshin moment!" Milly shouted, startling all of the people in the room. Legato chuckled and shook his head; count on Milly to lighten the mood.

"Milly, maybe you should lay off of the manga for a while……." Meryl said, looking a little 'frazzled' by that. Milly only smiled, and latched onto Wolfwood's arm, eliciting a surprised look from the priest.

"So, you became a Bernadelli bodyguard, huh?" Vash asked, curiously.

"Yes, but not without strong persuasion. Those two ladies should have been con-artists instead." Legato said, as he leaned against a wall, a tired, yet amused, expression appearing on his face as he said that.

"Oh? Why do you say that? What did they use to get you to sign on to Bernadelli as a bodyguard?" Vash asked.

"Doughnuts." Legato muttered, with a sigh. Vash winced.

"Ouch. That was a low blow." Vash said, sympathetically.

"Tell me about it." Legato said, dryly, as he watched the two insurance girls talk to captor and former captive, then as the cavalry arrived and took the two men away.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three: Floating City

Legato eyed Wolfwood's chess pieces with a look of dry humor. There were very few pieces left on Wolfwood's side of the board, signaling that Legato was winning. Milly, who stood off to one side, giggled when she saw Wolfwood's sour expression.

"Be grateful, Nicholas. At least I didn't suggest strip poker." Legato stated, arching an eyebrow when he saw another good move and took it. 

"Shut up." Wolfwood grumbled, looking a bit put off with losing to Legato for a third time in a row. From his place on the couch, Vash listened to the conversation at the table. 

"_It's hard to believe that Legato is on our side. He was once Knives' right hand man! I wonder what happened between them that caused Knives to take the arm back?_" Vash wondered, sitting up abruptly when he smelled the telltale scent of doughnuts.

"Checkmate, Nicholas, and the snack has arrived." Legato said, smugly, enjoying the display of annoyance on the priest's face.

"Those smell delicious! I want a whole box!" Vash said, as he swooped into the kitchen. Meryl, who was carrying the boxes of doughnuts, dodged the gunman, watching as he fell past her and landed face first into the linoleum.

"Ouch." Legato muttered, as he deftly plucked one box out of Meryl's arms and proceeded to retreat out of the kitchen.

"Legato! Get back here with that! LEGATO!" Meryl shouted, furiously, as she started chasing the former outlaw around the hotel room, but not before she handed off the rest of the boxes to Milly.

"Man, I never knew Legato would run from a woman! And a normal human woman with no powers whatsoever!" Wolfwood taunted, laughing as the ex-outlaw blazed past him.

"Nicholas, you obviously have no idea what this woman can do when she's angry enough." Legato panted, dodging around Vash when he tried to block his path.

"Then why are you making her angry?" Vash asked, as he tried to block him again.

"She's cute when she's angry." Legato said, jokingly, as he dove back into the kitchen and placed the box back onto the table. But not before taking a chocolate frosted doughnut and taking a bite out of it. He was gone half a heartbeat later.

"That man…………is even more irritating than you, Vash." Meryl growled, as she surveyed the other doughnut boxes with simmering anger in her gray eyes.

"If that were even possible. I guess this proves that he's taken a turn for the better, if he gets his kicks from just annoying us and not by killing anyone." Wolfwood said, as he waited for Meryl's approval to open another box and get a doughnut out. Vash nodded in agreement, his expression sobering when he remembered the discussion that had ensued after the situation on the sand-steamer had concluded. They had gotten a confession from Legato's own mouth about the true destroyer of Augusta, and the guilt in his eyes was not false. Both Vash and Wolfwood reasoned that there were a lot of burdens on Legato's shoulders; past crimes he'd committed while allied with Knives.

"I wonder where he's hiding?" Milly mused, smiling knowingly when a rather sheepish looking Legato returned, licking the chocolate frosting from his fingers.

"Returned to die, Legato Bluesummers?" Meryl asked, threateningly. Legato ducked behind Vash and grinned at her.

"Not quite, Miss Stryfe. Besides, could you really bring yourself to harm a disabled man?" Legato asked, mischievously. 

"Disabled? Disabled my ass! You're far from being disabled, Legato, considering how you're a better gunman than most men who have both arms!" Meryl spat, struggling to keep from strangling the ex-outlaw.

"Now, now, Meryl. It's not good for you to get so worked up! Mr. Legato is only teasing you." Milly said, matter-of-factly. As the conversation continued, Wolfwood noticed how quiet Vash had gotten, and wondered why.

"Hey, Vash, why don't you contribute something to the conversation, instead of just standing there?" Wolfwood asked, as the jesting ended, and Legato moved to sit down at the table. Vash straightened, and shook his head, returning to reality with a jolt.

"Vash?" Meryl asked, noticing that all of the color had drained from Vash's face.

"Sorry, but I'm not very hungry at the moment." Vash murmured, as he quietly left the room, leaving his four companions gazing confusedly after him.

"I wonder what has gotten into him?" Legato mused, aloud.

"Good question. It's not like him to turn down doughnuts like this." Meryl said, crossing her arms and looking very concerned for the outlaw. Legato smiled gently and ruffled Meryl's hair, much like an elder brother would do.

"I'm sure it isn't anything serious. Don't fret." Legato said, with incredible gentleness. Wolfwood shook his head in wonder; this was a totally new side to Legato he'd certainly never seen before.

"_He's got a soft spot for the girls, there's no doubt about that. I wonder if he sees them as the sisters he never had? That thought in itself is unbelievable. If he's as good a gunman as Meryl said, I'd hate to be the Gung-Ho Gun that gets in his way._" Wolfwood thought, as he watched the close-knit trio from his counter-perch. 

Hours later, Legato found himself being awakened from sound sleep by Vash.

"What do you want?" Legato asked, crossly, as he sat up and gave Vash a look that could freeze lava.

"I want you to come with me." Vash said, earnestly.

"Why?" Legato asked, deadpanning at the thought of going somewhere with Vash, in the middle of a typhoon. 

"You'll see. Now come on." Vash said, as he helped Legato put his coat on and watched as Legato put his gun belt back on. Within moments, they were gone. 

"This has to be the most insane thing I have ever done! What is even more insane is the fact that I am about to jump off a cliff with Vash the Stampede leading me by the nose!" Legato ranted, shouting over the roar of the wind, not in the least bit thrilled about what was going to happen.

"Relax! We'll come through just fine! Now, jump!" Vash shouted, as he jumped into the wind. Legato sighed and followed suit. To his surprise, he found himself landing on a floating platform. He flinched when he heard Vash crash-land behind him.

"Are you all right, Vash?" Legato asked, dryly. 

"I'm fine…….or, at least I will be…………when my heart stops beating so fast! I'm glad I don't have to do this often!" Vash said, leaning back on a handrail and gasping for breath, his hand clutching his chest and his face pale. 

"That should teach you. So, do you do this for thrills? Jumping into the heart of a typhoon?" Legato asked.

"Or are you trying to commit suicide?" another, rather familiar voice asked.

"Suicide? I hate even the thought of suicide………..hey……….wait a minute!" Vash muttered, as both he and Legato looked over the side of the platform. They were a bit surprised to see Wolfwood clinging there.

"Nicholas, what are you doing here?" Legato asked, with a deadpan expression on his face.

"I saw you both jump off that cliff to kill yourselves! What were you trying to do?" Wolfwood asked, as he was helped onto the platform.

"Don't ask me. This was all Vash's idea, I can assure you." Legato muttered, his expression still deadpan. Wolfwood turned his attention to Vash.

"Well? What's your reason?" Wolfwood asked, peevishly.

"I'm going home." Vash replied, quietly. Legato and Wolfwood both exchanged a confused glance.

"There are houses in the sky? Vash, I am getting tired of your nonsense." Wolfwood grumbled. Then the platform rose above the clouds. Legato blinked as bright sunlight shone into his eyes, but, when his eyes adjusted, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. There, suspended in midair, was what remained of a spaceship. 

"What is that?" Wolfwood asked, also awed by the sight.

"Just what you see before you. A spaceship that has been in no hurry to fall for the last one hundred thirty years." Vash replied, casually. 

"Unbelievable……..I can't believe that there's still a spaceship up here." Wolfwood said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Vash, when you'd said you were going home, does that mean that there are still people up here?" Legato asked, curiosity sneaking into his voice as he said that. Vash nodded.

"You and Wolfwood will be their first guests in twenty years." Vash replied, as the platform approached the vessel.

"Now I know how the characters in _Fellowship of the Ring_ must have felt when they saw the Halls of Moria." Legato muttered, as they stepped off of the platform. They were only standing there a few moments before the door opened.

"Ah, welcome back, Vash! I see you've got some friends with you. Come on in!" an old man said, as he and a tall, burly young man stood at the door. 

"It's good to see you again, Sensei." Vash said, as he, Legato, and Wolfwood entered the ship.

"And it is good to see that you are doing so well, Vash. Who are those two?" the old man asked, as he pointed at Wolfwood and Legato.

"Those are two of my friends. The one with the cross is Nicholas D. Wolfwood, and the other man is Legato Bluesummers. Legato is one of the reasons I came back here." Vash said, watching as Wolfwood made faces in the gleaming, mirror-like walls of the hallway, while Legato stood off to one side with his face buried in his hand in exasperation.

"Hmm……….I see that he only has one arm. An accident?" Sensei asked, as Legato pulled Wolfwood away from the wall and jogged to catch up with the old man, Vash, and the burly young man, not too keen on getting lost inside the old ship.

"You could say that." Vash said, as he watched Legato and Wolfwood catch up, Legato self-consciously grasping the empty sleeve of his coat while he walked, when he saw how uneasy the people of the floating city were. Sensei nodded in understanding.

"You came here to see if I could give him a new arm. How long has it been since his 'accident'?" Sensei asked.

"About two years." Vash replied, glancing back when he heard murmuring coming from the citizens of the ship, and their debates on how Legato had lost his arm. 

"Then there might still be hope. I might still be able to attach a new arm if the nerves have survived. I'll have to ask him some questions." Sensei said, looking around when a woman's voice interrupted their train of thought.

"Vash!" the woman in question shouted, as she ran up to them, with excitement in her blue eyes. Legato arched an eyebrow as the young woman barreled up to Vash and hugged him tightly. He looked up when he heard the burly man growl, and backed up so he wouldn't end up dead. Unfortunately for Legato, though, the young woman took notice of him.

"Hey, Vash, who's the handsome guy with the blue hair?" the woman asked, getting a surprised look from Vash and a fervent blush from Legato.

"That's a friend of mine." Vash said, grinning at Legato from where he stood. The burly man, whose name was Brad, gave Legato a dirty look. Legato backed away and hid behind Wolfwood's cross.

"Hey! Don't hide behind me! Do I look like I'd be a match for him?" Wolfwood snapped, as Legato peered out from behind him at the perturbed Brad.

"Better you than me, Nicholas." Legato replied, as Vash and Sensei chuckled and shook their heads. 

"Calm down, Brad. They're not hurting anyone." Sensei said, smiling as Legato warily stood beside Wolfwood, keeping his eyes on the taller man. 

"Legato, come with us. Wolfwood, stay here." Vash ordered.

"Why do I have to stay out here?" Wolfwood asked, irritably. 

"I have something I want to discuss with Sensei. And there is something Sensei wants to talk to Legato about." Vash explained, as Legato gave him a questioning look. Wolfwood sighed in resignation.

"Very well. I'll remain here." Wolfwood grumbled, not unlike a surly child in his response. Moments later, Legato found himself in large, yet dimly lit, room. He suppressed a shudder when he thought of the room that Knives had used to perform the surgery that had attached Vash's arm to his body, all that time ago.

"Don't look so uneasy, Legato, I'm not going to harm you." Sensei said, having noticed the haunted look in Legato's eyes. 

"Then why did you let me come back here? Why didn't you make me wait in the hall with Nicholas? Is there a specific reason?" Legato asked, trying to sound calm, despite his unease.

"There is. Apparently Vash brought you up here to see about getting you a prosthetic arm." Sensei said, surprising Legato with his answer. Legato then turned a questioning gaze to Vash, who simply nodded quietly. 

"But why?" Legato asked, almost too stunned to speak.

"You'd be better able to protect Meryl and Milly if you have two arms. And, if you get a prosthetic like the one I have, you'll have an extra weapon in your arsenal to protect yourself and them." Vash said, wisely. Legato's eyes widened slightly, then he guiltily looked away from Vash.

"I don't deserve it. After all the crimes I have committed, all of the innocent blood I have shed, directly and indirectly, over the years. Any mercy I receive, I don't deserve." Legato murmured, honestly. He jumped when Vash put a hand on his shoulder and looked firmly into his eyes.

"If anyone deserves a second chance, it's you, Legato. You've made a huge change from the way you were to the way you are now. You have the right to choose which path to take. Your ticket to the future is always blank. All you have to do is pick it up and use it." Vash said, with the wisdom of a hundred years in his seemingly ageless eyes. Legato could only stare at him in wonder; how was it that such a goofball could be so wise at the same time?

"I………….I accept. What must be done?" Legato asked, turning to Sensei, with a look of resolve in his eyes.

"First, I must see if the nerves in the stump have survived, then I can attach the circuitry needed to attach the arm. I must warn you, though, it will be painful." Sensei warned, as he glanced at Vash, remembering the time when he'd performed the surgery on the Humanoid Typhoon. Vash flinched, also remembering the event.

"It was painful having my arm pulled off by a madman. This can't be any worse than that." Legato said, willing to get started. Sensei nodded; he could tell Legato was ready.

"First, I will install Vash's new arm, then I will see to you." Sensei said, as he got right to work. Within moments, Vash had his new arm attached, and Sensei was looking at the stump of Legato's left arm.

"Well, I have good news. The nerves appear to be intact. I can begin now, if you want." Sensei said, after a few moments of probing and scanning with machinery Legato could only assume was lost technology (they were in the sickbay by now). Legato nodded.

"Let's get it attached as soon as possible. Mine and Vash's enemies won't wait to start attacking." Legato said, as he was bidden to lie down by Sensei's assistants. Forgotten for the moment, Brad watched from the corner, his arms crossed and giving Legato an unreadable look.

"Brad, we might need you to help hold Legato down, since he can't have any anesthetic for the procedure." Sensei said, indirectly ordering the taller man to stand ready. Brad reluctantly nodded, and stood beside the bed. Then the surgery began. Legato gasped, then grimaced as the flap of skin that closed off the stump of the arm was cut open and away, revealing the inside of the arm. He gritted his teeth as Sensei went in, carefully beginning to install the circuitry. Seemingly endless hours passed, as Sensei moved meticulously through the procedure. The worst of the pain came when the metal graft was attached, where the arm would shortly be connected. At this, Legato let out a bloodcurdling scream, and actually struggled violently against Brad and Vash's steady grip. 

Out in the hallway, the residents of the floating city, and Wolfwood, jumped when they heard Legato's pain filled cry, and looked at one another in uncertainty. 

"Damn, what're they doin' in there?! Torturing someone?!?" Wolfwood asked, just barely suppressing a shudder as the echoes of the scream died away into the corridors.

"It seems that that golden-eyed friend of yours is getting a prosthetic to replace the arm he'd lost." One woman said, answering Wolfwood's question.

"How can you tell?" Wolfwood asked, a bit skeptical about that statement.

"Vash had screamed the same way when they'd attached his prosthetic. Only Vash was in worse shape when he arrived here than your friend." The woman said, her eyebrows knitting as she remembered the events of twenty-seven years before.

"What had happened to his arm?" Wolfwood asked, again, curiosity aroused by this conversation.

"It had been shot off by a high-powered handgun at almost point-blank range. The blood loss was horrible. We thought he was going to die that time, but he managed to pull through somehow." The woman said, her eyes haunted by the memories of that day.

"Then Vash and Legato are more alike than they realize. The girls had said they'd found Legato in similar condition two years ago." Wolfwood murmured. Before the woman could ask what he'd meant, Sensei emerged from the sickbay.

"Well? Did you turn 'im into Frankenstein or somethin'?" Wolfwood asked, somewhat snappishly, hiding his concern behind his irritation.

"No, I didn't turn him into Frankenstein. Or Igor for that matter. The operation was a complete success. And despite what you must have heard, he is still conscious. Though I am surprised. Vash passed out when the operation was done on him. He was out for several days because of the shock to his system." Sensei said, smiling when a look of relief flashed briefly across Wolfwood's features, then vanished behind the 'irritation mask' again.

"Well, can I see the guy? Or do I have to stand out in the hall all night?" Wolfwood asked, now genuinely annoyed.

"You may see him. But do not stress him." Sensei said, watching as Wolfwood shouldered his Cross Punisher, then walked into the sickbay.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Usual hospital rules apply." Wolfwood said, casually, over his shoulder. When he got there, Legato was waving some of the sickbay attendants away, not wanting any part of the painkillers they were offering him.

"Well, I see that what that short guy was saying was true. How does the arm feel?" Wolfwood asked, then looked down at Vash, who was fainted dead away on the floor.

"It feels odd. I guess it will take some getting used to." Legato said, as he glanced at Vash, and rolled his eyes.

"What happened to him?" Wolfwood asked, as he prodded Vash with the toe of his shoe. Legato shrugged.

"I don't know, but he took one look at the blood on the floor and on this bed and fainted shortly after the 'short guy' as you had put it, finished. I'd hate to see how he would react when he and Meryl are married, and his children are being born." Legato muttered, with some dread in his voice.

"Don't even think about it. One Vash is enough." Wolfwood mumbled, much to Legato's amusement. 

Hours later, the three men found themselves on the far side of a large food court. They sat alone, for the most part, since most of the people on the ship didn't trust Wolfwood or Legato. The only exceptions were Sensei, Jessica (the girl that had called Legato handsome earlier), and Brad.

"The food here is quite good. Seems like you people do rather well for yourselves up here." Legato commented.

"Well, we manage. I just wonder how the people on the planet survive." Sensei said, with some curiosity in his voice.

"We do what we must, even though sometimes what we must do isn't always right." Wolfwood murmured, as he snuffed out a cigarette in the ashtray, then turned and looked as two men in the background started bickering.

"Excuse me for a moment. Saitou! Sano! Stop picking fights! How many times must I tell you two that?! You remember the last time I had to pull you apart! There was food stuck to the ceiling for a week after!" Sensei shouted, calling the two men down. Legato shook his head; things really were no different up here than they were on the ground.

"Ne, Mr. Bluesummers?" Jessica asked, not noticing Brad's look of chagrin as she spoke to the 'outsider'.

"Miss, you may call me by my first name, if you wish. What is it that you want to know?" Legato asked. Jessica blushed and fiddled with her sleeve, reminding Legato of the way Meryl sometimes acted when she thought no one was paying attention.

"Well, um, I was wondering how you are adjusting to your new arm. Does it hurt at all?" Jessica asked, shyly.

"It's a bit sore, but it doesn't hurt as much as it did when it was getting attached. That is one experience I never want to repeat." Legato replied, with a shudder.

"I'll bet." Wolfwood muttered, as he lit another cigarette. Then all attention turned to Vash. They were a bit surprised when they saw that Vash hadn't touched his food, and he appeared to be in deep thought.

"Vash?" Legato asked, startling Vash out of his self-induced trance.

"What? Is something up, Legato?" Vash asked, sounding a bit weary.

"No, nothing important, anyway. You seem a bit out of sorts." Legato replied, with some concern sneaking into his calm golden eyes. 

"I'm fine, don't worry about me. Just thinking, that's all." Vash replied, finally noticing the meal in front of him and chowing down.

"What kind of thought could possibly survive in that needle noggin of yours, Vash?" Wolfwood asked, with some skepticism.

"I'm just wondering why the Gung-Ho Guns haven't made another appearance yet. Have they disbanded?" Vash mused.

"I doubt it. They're just waiting for a good moment to strike. And believe me, they will, once they find out that you are no longer in hiding." Legato said, seriously.

"But who would be in line to become leader after you?" Wolfwood asked. Legato shrugged and shook his head.

"I have no idea. I don't think Midvalley would take up leadership. The only one I think would be capable of leading the Gung-Ho's would be Knives himself. But, then again, he hates humans with such a passion that he probably wouldn't." Legato murmured, thoughtfully.

"I don't know what you three are talking about, but I don't care for it. Take it someplace else." Brad demanded, angrily.

"You're being rude again, Brad." Sensei said, suddenly, having returned to the table without anyone noticing him.

"Hmph." Brad grumbled, before stalking off, with Jessica trailing along behind him. 

"Seems that Jessica has taken a shine to you, Legato Bluesummers." Sensei said, with a smile.

"It does indeed. She even adjusted my coat so it would fit over this new arm without even being asked to." Legato commented, sounding a little relieved that they were heading away from the oppressive subject.

"Yes, she tends to do things like that, but usually not for strangers. You're the first outsider other than Vash that she has talked to. I think that is why Brad is so hostile towards you." Sensei said, matter-of-factly. 

"Probably." Legato muttered, then stood up and stretched.

"The meal was excellent. My compliments to the chef, whomever or whatever he may be." Legato said, casually.

"I will tell him that you enjoyed it." Sensei said, still smiling as Vash and Wolfwood did the same.

"Too bad Milly couldn't come up here. She would have enjoyed the pudding." Vash mused, as he led the way out of the food court.

That night, Legato looked out over the moonlit expanse from one of the many balconies on the surface of the old ship.

"_Such an impressive view. I wonder how this planet looks from space? What did this place look like to our ancestors?_" Legato wondered, as the five moons bathed the desert below in a soft silver glow. 

"Enjoying the view, Legato?" Vash's voice asked, startling the blue-haired man somewhat.

"I guess I am. We're so high up, that the desert looks almost like a sea of molten silver. I wonder if the deserts on earth looked like this." Legato said, almost sadly.

"I've often wondered that myself." Vash said, as they both sank into thoughtful silence.

"Vash, what was your brother like before he hated humans?" Legato asked, suddenly. Vash nearly toppled over the handrail.

"Why do you want to know?" Vash asked, shocked that Legato had brought up such a subject.

"Just curious. Has he always hated humanity the way he hates it now? Or did something happen that influenced his decision to hate?" Legato asked again, with all seriousness in his eyes.

"I………..I don't know. It happened so suddenly, that I am not even certain he even felt comfortable among humans from the start. I know Rem loved us, and the rest of the crew thought we were okay. But there was one man who thought differently." Vash said, his face taking on a pained expression as he remembered the distant memories of his childhood.

"Who was that man?" Legato asked, his serious expression never fading.

"His name was Steve. He was the only one on board that seemed to hate Knives and me. At that time, I had a hard time understanding why he would hate us. But, as I got older, I understood………..to some degree." Vash admitted.

"People often fear what they do not understand, and do unspeakable things in order to feel superior to the unknown." Legato murmured, his expression darkening as he looked directly at Vash.

"I think that crewmember, Steve, may have done something to Knives that convinced him that humans weren't worth saving. Something that Knives was too ashamed to tell you, Rem, or any other member of that crew." Legato said, as a look of horror overtook Vash's features.

"You mean……………Steve did……………..oh god……………….." Vash muttered, actually looking a little sick at the thought. 

"I'm not saying that he did or didn't, but it would be a motivating factor for someone like Knives." Legato said, as he put a steadying hand on Vash's shoulder.

"Revenge against humanity……………that does make sense. I should have noticed what kind of pain he was in all those years ago. Thanks for showing that to me, Legato." Vash said, giving the ex-outlaw a wan smile.

"Don't thank me. That sort of thing is hindsight, anyway. It might not make much of a difference now." Legato said, as he returned his gaze to the desert below.

"Maybe not, but at least now I have a clue as to what he went through. Good night, Legato." Vash said, as he returned to the inside of the ship.

"Good night." Legato responded, then went back to looking out over the silent expanse, not realizing that the entire conversation had been listened to by another party.

The next morning, Legato, Wolfwood, and Vash, were rudely awakened by the sounds of gunfire, and the smell of smoke and gunpowder.

"It came from this way!" Vash shouted, as he led the way to where the sounds were coming from.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Legato muttered, as he checked his weapons and made sure they were ready for use. When they arrived in the hallway where the sounds had originated, they were horrified by what they saw; dozens of people lay dead from multiple gunshot wounds, their blood making the floor almost too slick to walk upon. At the end of the hallway, there was a white-haired man standing there.

"Leonof the Puppetmaster." Legato snarled, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight. He didn't even move as Wolfwood snapped the latches of the Cross Punisher's shroud, nor did he look at Vash when he loaded some bullets into his silver gun.

"What the hell is goin' on here?!" Brad asked, as he and a few other men dashed into the hall, nearly falling when their feet found the puddles of blood on the floor.

"Get into your rooms! This guy isn't someone you can handle!" Wolfwood ordered, as he got into a defensive position in front of Brad and his comrades.

"You're right. It would be very easy to defeat you three right now, even if you do have Legato with you." 'Leonof' said, with a sneer evident even in the monotone voice of the puppet.

"It's your mistake if you underestimate us, Leonof." Legato said, his voice carrying a deadly tone in it; a tone Vash was very familiar with.

"True. That's why I made the extra precaution to get this." Leonof said, as an identical puppet came out, with Jessica in its clutches!

"Damn you." Vash growled, surprising both of his comrades with that. With a lightning fast move, Vash fired a shot, shattering the puppet into a thousand pieces. 

"Jessica, are you all right?" Brad asked, as he rushed over. Jessica didn't respond, but she nodded and gave Vash and Legato a shaky smile.

"You're not giving me any respect. I still have some of my children inside this ship. Can you find them in time to save everyone?" Leonof's voice asked.

"There's three of them." Vash growled.

"What?" Wolfwood asked, not understanding what Vash had meant by that.

"There are three Gung-Ho Guns inside of this ship. If they are this organized, then they must have a new leader. But who could it be?" Legato muttered, mostly to himself. He snarled as Leonof laughed at them.

"Yes, the three demons have arrived. Just in time to begin the return celebration for Vash the Stampede, and Legato Bluesummers." Leonof said, with some evil glee in his voice.

"How very kind of Knives to include me in this party." Legato muttered, as he used his left arm's gun for the first time, taking out two more puppets while he was at it.

"Sensei, how does the situation look?" Vash asked, as he touched his earring and activated the communicator in it.

"Not good. The intruders are coming in from the left and the right. All of the people I have sent to look into it haven't checked back in yet." Sensei's voice replied, grimly. Wolfwood sighed and hefted the Cross Punisher onto his shoulders.

"I've decided to do things my way. A word of warning, Vash; these people aren't ordinary people. If you try to do things the way you have been doing them, then you will be killed." Wolfwood said, not pausing even once as he walked alone down the hall. But he did glance back when he heard someone walking along behind him. To his surprise, it was Legato!

"What do you think you're doing?" Wolfwood asked, almost sounding exasperated with the former leader of the Gung-Ho Guns.

"Watching your back. Vash already has someone to watch his." Legato said, as he pointed back in Brad's general direction with his thumb. Wolfwood smirked.

"Yeah, I guess so. Just don't get in my way, all right?" Wolfwood asked.

"You've got a deal." Legato agreed, as they continued walking. It didn't take long for them to find some action. 

"Damn! Where do they keep coming from?! They just don't seem to stop!" Wolfwood shouted, as he fired round after round into the puppets.

"Halls of Moria part two." Legato joked, as he used both pistol and arm gun on the puppets.

"Only you could joke at a time like this!" Wolfwood said, giving Legato an unreadable look as they both ducked behind some bulkheads to catch their breaths.

"Of course! What do you expect? My joking at the dinner table?" Legato retaliated. This got a deadpan look from Wolfwood.

"Point taken." Wolfwood muttered, before they left their makeshift shelters and ran into battle again. After long moments have passed, the two men finally made a temporary end to the puppets. But there was no time to celebrate; for now they could literally feel the approach of their next opponent.

"_By the pricking of my thumbs_……." Legato thought, as he watched the huge 'thing' erupt through the floor in front of them, "Something wicked this way comes." Legato finished, out loud.

"No kidding." Wolfwood agreed, then added, "I'm surprised such a big fellow could get in here! But that doesn't matter; no matter how big you are, I won't show you any mercy!" With that said, Wolfwood fired the machine gun end of his cross at the 'thing', and was dismayed when he saw that it had no effect on it.

"Get down!" Legato shouted, as both he and Wolfwood leaped out of the way to avoid getting hit by the thing's mini machine guns.

"Okay, let's try something else." Wolfwood mumbled, as he turned the cross around, so that now it was a rocket launcher.

"Take this!" Wolfwood shouted, as he fired the cross-shaped weapon. Both men watched tensely as the explosive hit the thing in the chest, exploding and sending smoke and fragments of the rocket flying in all directions. They were dismayed when they saw that even the rocket had had no effect on it.

"Grey the Ninelives. I should have known. How could I have forgotten such an important detail?" Legato muttered, angrily, as he watched the thing's chest open up to reveal missiles.

"We don't have time to worry about that now!" Wolfwood shouted, as the missiles suddenly launched and hit the floor, exploding it out from under them. With a yelp, both men grabbed onto the Cross Punisher (that of which ended up getting caught on the handrail to a stairway), while Grey the Ninelives plummeted to the floor below.

"Why'd he do that?" Wolfwood grumbled.

"I think I know, Nicholas. Look." Legato said, as he pointed at the Plant.

"This situation stinks." Wolfwood muttered. Legato couldn't agree more. Once they had found a way down, they had the task of preventing Grey from destroying the Plant. Wolfwood leaped as Grey fired his mini machine guns again, but this time didn't get through unscathed. He cried out as a bullet grazed his right thigh and fell with a crash to the floor. 

"Nicholas!" Legato shouted, and watched as Grey turned his attention to him. Just as he got close enough to open fire, machine gun fire from Wolfwood's cross distracted him. Wolfwood looked semi-conscious, but he'd managed to pull off a diversion for his former leader. Unbeknownst to either of them, some of Wolfwood's bullets had deflected into some pipes just above Grey's head, and were just beginning to give way when Legato noticed them.

"Nicholas! Move!" Legato ordered, as he leaped out of the way. Wolfwood for once did as he was told and jumped out of the way, just before gallons of caustic acid poured out of the broken pipes and onto Grey the Ninelives.

"How did you know?" Wolfwood asked, his voice finely edged with pain. Legato gave him a grim smile.

"I could smell the acid as it was eating through the metal. That is what gave me enough time to warn you and jump out of the way." Legato said, then looked down at Wolfwood's leg. Blood oozed freely from the deep cut, forming a puddle beneath Wolfwood's leg that was similar to the larger ones they'd seen only a few scant hours before.

"Looks bad, huh?" Wolfwood asked, painfully.

"It does. Can you still move the Cross Punisher?" Legato asked, as he glanced at the heavy weapon. Wolfwood nodded.

"I must. Since Grey's armor has been melted, he won't be impervious to the cannon anymore." Wolfwood said, as he took up a firing position and fired another rocket. This time, when the rocket hit, Grey was destroyed.

"Let's see if I can get this bleeding to stop. Then we'll go and look for Vash. He could probably use some help right about now." Legato suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me. I wonder how the girls are doing?" Wolfwood mused, wincing as Legato tore the pants leg open to get to the wound.

"They are probably mad as hell with us for disappearing on them. Knowing Meryl, she will probably lecture us into next week for our disappearing act." Legato said, with a smirk, as he concentrated on tying off the wound.

"Milly won't be too happy with us either. She's got a mean right hook." Wolfwood stated, with a chuckle.

"I've seen it. Makes me wonder what the rest of her family is like." Legato agreed, as he finished off the bandaging job. Then silence fell on the two men; but it wasn't an uncomfortable one. On the contrary; for the first time in his life, Wolfwood actually felt at ease in Legato's presence. Legato had just proven his loyalty to Vash and those he called friends.

"_What a change. Who would have thought that Legato of all people would be fighting alongside Vash the Stampede to protect humanity? He started off serving one brother, and is now comrades with the other. Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable._" Wolfwood thought, as he watched Legato relax and lean back against the wall. Legato in turn glanced at him, and quirked up an eyebrow.

"You stare at me as though you can't believe that I have changed. I don't blame you for being leery of me, but believe me, I will use this chance to amend for the wrongs I have committed over the years." Legato promised.

"I know. I just wish I could have the same chance, but you know that I am still affiliated with the Gung-Ho Guns, and it would be dangerous for me to pull out now." Wolfwood murmured, with longing in his voice.

"Nicholas, everything that we do on this desert planet is tinged with danger. Sometimes we must take chances. I took a chance when I went to find help that long ago night, when Knives tore that arm from my body with his bare hands. Now you must decide; stay with the Gung-Ho Guns and possibly end up dead, thus making Milly grieve. Or separate yourself from them, and try to make a new life for yourself with the woman you obviously care for. What will your choice be, Nicholas?" Legato asked, as he gazed directly into Wolfwood's smoky blue eyes.

"You sure are one for deep conversations, aren't you?" Wolfwood asked, with an arched eyebrow of his own. Legato smirked.

"And you avoided my question with grace, Nicholas." Legato retaliated, snapping to attention when the metal carcass of Grey moved.

"Damn! That thing really does have nine lives!" Wolfwood cursed, as he forced himself to his feet, grimacing as fiery pain burned through his leg from the wound.

"It's too close to the Plant and it appears to have a rocket launcher of its own. Let's get out of here, things are about to get ugly." Legato said, as he and Wolfwood made a mad dash to the door, just before what remained of Grey took out the Plant. They both lost their balance when the ship shook violently beneath them.

"Damn! It looks like they won in the end after all!" Wolfwood shouted, as he pulled himself to his feet again by using the metal handrail that was attached to the wall.

"Unfortunately." Legato agreed, his voice a low growl and his eyes narrowed. Then a muffled scream disrupted the two men's angry thoughts.

"What was that?" Wolfwood asked, as he and Legato moved towards the sound.

"It came from over here." Legato said, as he motioned to some pipes. They were both shocked when they found Jessica bound and gagged.

"What is she doin' here?" Wolfwood asked, as Legato untied the quivering girl and wrapped a blanket around her.

"That one we rescued earlier must have been one of Leonof's puppets. For some reason, he kept the real girl alive. Let's get topside right now. I think the Humanoid Typhoon might be in danger." Legato said, with grim certainty. With a nod, Wolfwood forced himself into a run, with Legato following close behind, carrying Jessica in his arms. They got to a balcony just as the puppet Jessica approached Vash and Brad.

"Hey! Needle noggin!" Wolfwood shouted, as Legato came to a stop beside him and placed Jessica on her feet between them. They could see both men's eyes widen, but, before they could react, the puppet Jessica revealed its true nature and opened fire on them. From where they were, the three people on the balcony watched in horror as Brad took every bullet that was meant for Vash, then collapsed with a groan into the sand.

"Legato, get the girl to ground level. I'm going after the puppetmaster." Wolfwood said, his voice low and dangerous.

"You are really in no shape to do so, but I can't stop you. Do what you must." Legato said, as he started on his grim task of gently guiding the weeping girl to the ground. It felt like an eternity before Legato managed to find the way out of the ship and get to the site. He could hear Vash weeping from where he stood, and remembered a time when he would have relished in that sound. Now it sickened him to hear it, and brought a crushing weight to bear on his shoulders.

"Mr. Bluesummers, why are you crying?" Jessica asked, startling Legato somewhat. Slowly, Legato brought a hand up to his face and brushed the moisture off, only to stare in wonder at the tears on his fingertips. 

"_Yes_………….._Why am I crying?_" Legato wondered, as he tried to stop the tears from flowing. But for some reason he couldn't. Something inside him, some hidden, forgotten pain, was making its presence known. What it was, Legato didn't know, but it had something to do with his buried past. 

"Legato!" a familiar voice shouted.

"Mr. Legato!" another voice added, as both owners of the voices rode up to him.

"Miss Stryfe………Miss Thompson……..what're you doing here?" Legato asked, trying his best to look normal.

"W saw that huge thing come down and had a feeling Vash had something to do with it." Meryl said, then noticed the sadness in Legato's eyes, and in those of the girl that stood beside him.

"What happened here, Mr. Legato?" Milly asked, worried about the man that had been appointed to be their bodyguard. 

"It's a long story. One I will tell in detail later…………….when the dead are laid to rest." Legato replied, his eyes taking on a haunted look as he watched the people of the ship city begin the grim process of bringing out the dead to be buried. 

Hours later, Legato had gone out and returned with Wolfwood, who had gone after and destroyed the Puppetmaster, but had gotten hurt in the process.

"You two are experts in demolition………….on your own bodies. Couldn't you have been a little more careful, Nicholas?" Legato asked, sarcastically, as he watched Milly bind Wolfwood's chest in gauze.

"You're one………….to talk………………You got your arm ripped off by Knives." Wolfwood retaliated.

"Well, at least I didn't go into the desert and use a floating platform to blow a man to kingdom come." Legato parried, enjoying the verbal spar.

"Now, now, Mr. Priest, Mr. Legato, don't argue. You three all need your rest, since you've all been very busy today." Milly said, getting a twin set of deadpan looks from the two men.

"State the obvious, Miss Thompson. You are talking to us as though we were children." Legato muttered, in exasperation.

"Well, you did sound like a couple of five-year-olds just now." Milly said, thoughtfully. Both Wolfwood and Legato flinched.

"Touché." Wolfwood softly said, with a rueful look on his face. Then they glanced at Vash, who lay in fitful sleep across the room. 

"I wonder just who is responsible. Who is it that could have organized the Gung-Ho Guns in my absence? I can't figure it out." Legato said, quietly.

"I don't know, but I have the feeling that we're going to find out." Wolfwood murmured, as he gazed thoughtfully at the ceiling of the hotel room. Legato silently agreed, but even he had to wonder; would they even be able to fight whoever it was that was now Knives' right hand man? Would they win against him? Or would they die trying?

Far away, a figure stood in a room full of Plants. He turned slightly when he heard the puppets that Leonof had been using to report his progress fell lifelessly to the ground, signaling that the puppetmaster was dead.

"No matter. He is of no importance. He did what he was supposed to by causing Vash more pain, and that is all that matters. Right, Knives-sama?" the figure asked. He got a smile and a nod from the figure inside the main Plant. Then the figure chuckled and turned away from his master, an insane light entering his green, gold-flecked eyes as he left the chamber. 

Author's Note!

I am not very happy with this chapter. I hope the next one will be a better read. - _ -;;

Gemini


End file.
